bennie, I hear what you are saying about EEI...I just prefer to think those idiots don't represent the majority.

gail, I'm with you on almost all points. Well, I'm truly ambivalent about Fenway vs a new stadium. I hate the uncomfortable seats, but love the initimacy. I've been to the new ballparks, and you never get to be as close to the field, or as close to the players. I wonder if they redo the seats in the bowl (as they occasionally say they will) if it would improve enough? I say this as someone who goes to 10-15 games a season, depending on how many tickets I can scrape up.

And yes, bennnie, I totally agree about the marketing hype. Its getting ridiculous. The game is like one long commercial with the Nesn guys reading promo after promo. Sox Appeal is perhaps the most ludicrous thing I've ever seen.

in spite of all these drawbacks, I still LOVE spending a summer evening at Fenway. Check out my photos from the June Sox-Giants series here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ChinaCat00/SoxGiants

Great photos!! We finally went to Fenway after ~6 or 7 years w/o seeing a game in person. So hard to get tickets!! But I was on eBay and found some that seemed good and a plus was that they were for a Saturday night game so they made for a real evening out and took some of the sting out of the price.

Every year as the season ends, I typically feel such a pang that my husband has missed yet another year of being able to see his beloved Sox in person. There is nothing that compares to going to Fenway Park.

One more plus is that we were in the no alcohol section, which eliminated the potential for rowdiness. Just by chance, that is where the tickets were, but it made for a very pleasant way to watch the game.

Ooops...I actually like Sox Appeal. To each his own I guess.

People always have something to complain about I suppose. Fenway is old and not as comfortable as other ballparks, but it is always exciting to go to a game because it's always sold out and fans always support the team. I'd much rather go to games at old Fenway than at newish, beautiful Camden Yards where all the fans are rooting for the Sox anyway. I think we're incredibly lucky to have such a beloved baseball team that's such a part of the fabric of the city and the region.

Great pictures - thanks for posting! What is y'all's mascot - that little green guy? The stadium looks amazing.

I can tell people feel passionately about the Sox just by reading this forum; we are looking forward to experiencing all of it!

Regarding the debate on Lugo, I can tell you he definitely gets boos in Houston now.

The green guy is ``Wally,'' the Green Monster. (Named after the wall, of course.)

It's Wally the Green Monster.

You will have such a blast, let us know how it goes!

I'm glad you like the pictures. It was a particularly pretty day, and we had good seats so I got some nice ones.

the green guy is Wally, the Green Monster. As you may know, the large green wall in left field is called the "Green Monster". Because Fenway is such a small park, and was built on an odd shaped plot of land, they built that 18 foot tall wall, and made left field very small. they call it the monster, I think becaue it frightens the pitchers, its so close even noodlebat hitters can hit it. Balls which should be fly ball outs in other parks are singles or doubles off the monster.

So the mascot, Wally, theoretically lives in the green monster.

In truth, the scoreboard operators and one of NESNs camera men are in there. And Manny Ramirez has been known to visit during pitching changes.

Gail, I tend to remember the Yawkeys for their tremendous foundation work. May you never need to use one of their medical facilities. Some will remember them bitterly, others will see the goodness they have left behind.

And, yes blueberry ale sounds strange, but no need to knock it unless you've tried it.

I'll crawl back under my rock now.

Awww, you guys are making me homesick. We went to at least one Sox game a year while growing up. We are planning to be back there next summer, but are waiting for the 2008 Schedule to come out before booking our trip. Someone told me that the schedule comes out some time in November?

My kids are dying to see a game at Fenway. We go see the Sox when they are in Anaheim, but in no way can it compare (better food maybe).

My friend emailed me pictures of them attending a game and sitting in the Green Monster seats. We might just have to go for those. :)

china cat - go to Camden Yards (Orioles) or whatever PacBell is named now (SF Giants) and see if you still love Fenway.

kealalani - will agree on charitable work of Yawkeys - tradition with Jimmy Fund continues and local sports radio station is ending successful radiothon to add to that partnership.

Reading lvk's post makes me realize something....people like my husband who grew up someplace else and move to Boston are eventually converted to being die-hard Sox fans....AND people like lvk who move away continue to be life-long fans...so no wonder that the cheering at most Sox away games is predominantly pro-Sox!!!

Needless to say Yankees fans do not fit the above profile. :)

Ah, he's a green monster - duh! I should have picked up on that one...

Looks like this will be a pretty exciting series - thanks to all of you for my Sox education!